Introduction

From radmeganhttp://radmegan.blogspot.com/2011/03/baking-irish-soda-bread-for-st-patricks.html#commentsI haven't made this yet so I don't know how big or small 12 servings will be. It seemed like a good starting point.
From radmeganhttp://radmegan.blogspot.com/2011/03/baking-irish-soda-bread-for-st-patricks.html#commentsI haven't made this yet so I don't know how big or small 12 servings will be. It seemed like a good starting point.

Minutes to Prepare: 20

Minutes to Cook: 45

Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together the 4 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Using clean fingers or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour, mixing until it resembles a coarse meal, then stir in the raisins.Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the beaten egg and buttermilk into the well, and combine with a wooden spoon until the dough is too stiff to stir. Dust your hands with flour, then gently knead the dough- just enough to form a rough ball. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in a little more flour. Do not over-knead! Your bread could become tough if you over-work it. The dough will be a little sticky, like biscuit dough.Transfer the dough to a floured baking sheet and shape into a round loaf. Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an "X" shape.Bake until the bread is golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a long, wooden skewer into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, it's done. If the crust gets too dark while baking, tent the bread with aluminum foil.Serve bread warm.